Ask Frank

How long does it take to ship?
Please allow 5-10 working days from the date of purchase to the ship date.

What happens if an instrument were to be damaged or lost during shipping?
We self insure all shipments for damage or loss. There are no claim forms to be filed so you will get a replacement right away.

Import Duties Import duties are the responsibility of the purchaser. You will need to check with the appropriate government entity in your country for specifics on any fees you may be responsible for. 

Warranty
The warranty is a 3 year structural warranty to the original owner only. The warranty does not cover normal wear, damage caused by misuse, abuse, modification, acts of nature, routine maintenance, adjustment, cosmetic details nor the durafoam case. All shipping costs associated with the return are the responsibility of the purchaser.

Return Policy
Returns are accepted within 30 days from the time you receive your instrument. Return must include original purchase receipt including date of purchase. Return shipping is the purchaser's responsibility. If you have requested for a pickup to be installed there will be a 10% restocking fee on the return. Returned items must be in original, brand-new condition, showing no signs of wear or use including pick or belt buckle scratches, scuffs, dents, or scrapes on the instrument or other materials. Items must also include all original packaging and accessories or your return may be subject to a return handling charge. Refunds are made for product value only, excluding shipping and handling charges. As soon as we verify the product's condition, your refund will be processed. Buyer assumes responsibility for all return shipping costs. You can expect your refund within three weeks of shipping your return package, often it will be faster. Three weeks includes the time for us to receive your return from the shipper, to process your return once received, and the time it takes your bank to process the refund. All refunds are done in the exact same payment method as the initial payment for the product. If you have any questions or need assistance, please email us at guitars@republicguitars.com. 

'Deals':Deals from the workshop come with a one year limited warranty.

Answers to questions about tone differences are generalized because the answer isn't black and white. After playing thousands of resonator guitars, I've come to the conclusion that any guitar, electric or acoustic, will have it's own personality. If you take 10 identical guitars you will find a range of sounds. Some might have more bottom end/some more mid range, some more sustain/some more attack and volume, some more harsh and dirty/some with a warmer tone... and so on... Different models can cross over. For instance, of 10 identical steel body guitars, one might have the warmest tone compared to the other 9, and might sound a lot like one of the 10 identical brass models that had the harshest tone. The same can be said comparing the sound of 10 tricones compared to 10 single cone guitars.

The bottom line is: You can get the sound you want on any of the guitars; They all sound good. If you want a lot of attack, use a pick, steel fingerpicks or pick close to the bridge. If you want a warmer tone, pick with bare fingers or closer to the fingerboard, etc.

What are the general sound differences between a brass, steel, and wood body resonator guitar?
In general a brass body has a bit more warmer sound and the steel body has a bit more of a harsh sound. The differences between the two are so subtle I dont think it should be a consideration in choosing one over the other. A wood body has a warmer woody tone than the metal but still has plenty of volume.

What is the difference in sound between a tricone model and a single cone model?
In general a tricone guitar will have a bit more sustain and a single cone a bit more volume. Again the differences are very subtle and I dont think it should be a consideration in choosing one over the other.

Here are some thoughts based on many of the conversations I've had over the years. Take it all with a grain of salt, read it over, and then choose one that 'speaks to you'.

Highway 61: It's our flagship model, you won't find anything like it anywhere else. The parlor sized body is great for everyone, kind of like a Les Paul, and smaller sized players my prefer it due to its smaller size and weight. It still packs the same loud punch as a full sized single cone reso. See the highway 61 page for a note regarding differences between the standard 14 fret and the 12 fret short scale 'Traveler' model.

Singe Cones: Harsher, louder sound, less sustain. Good dirty bluesy tone. The 14 fret model gives higher fret reach, while the 12 fret is a longer body. The standard 12 fret Resolian vs Delta Rocket, the only difference is F-holes vs grilles, no difference in sound, just the look.

Tricones: I love the sound of tricones, they are 'prettier' sounding than single cone reso's. The additional sustain gives it kind of a 12 string type of ring to it. However, one complaint is that they are heavier. The Clarksdale Special model provides MUCH higher reach due to the cutaway and the fact that the body is shorter (14 fret instead of the usual 12 fret tricone body length). One complaint with the Clarksdale Special body is that it may feel awkwardly balanced if you sit with it on your right leg since there's not much weight in the upper bout to counter balance it.

Parlor Resolian: Similar to the Highway 61, no cutaway and a slightly longer 12 fret body. It also still packs the same punch as a full sized single cone, and may be more comfortable for players that aren't quite as large.

Woody Models: We have Highway 61 standard scale, Tricones, 12 fret full size single cone, and 12 fret parlor sized single cone models available in wood. These are great as an 'additional' reso. My thoughts are, if you're going to get a resonator, make it a metal body. A metal body is THE 'resonator tone'. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the tone, and the light weight of the wooden models, they are very comfortable to play, and provide an additional voice to complement your metal body resonator.

What is the standard string height setup on the different models?

The guitars come with medium action to accommodate finger style or bottleneck slide playing.

How do you set intonation on a resonator guitar?

Resonator guitars are intonated much the same as any guitar. Since the cone is floating, it can be turned easily with your fingers or the eraser end of a pencil to make the saddle straight or a slight angle. There is also a little bit of room to slide the cone backward or forward slightly. It is normal for strings 1-4 to be intonated correctly and 5 & 6 to be off slightly. On the high E string, play the harmonic at the 12th fret, then play the fretted note at the 12th fret. If the fretted note is sharper than the harmonic, gently push the cone back slightly toward the tail piece. If the fretted note is flat compared to the harmonic, gently push the cone and biscuit toward the fingerboard slightly. It works the same an a tricone guitar. It is actually easier and takes much less time than any other type of guitar.

How does the truss rod work?

The trussrod is a 2 way trussrod. Counter clockwise for more relief and clockwise to correct a bow. You should have some relief. It uses a 4mm allen wrench.

How do you raise or lower the action on a resonator guitar?

Remove the coverplate. The cone assembly will lift out (it is only held in by string pressure)Remove the screw that holds biscuit to the cone. (notice that the screw goes through the biscuit and slightly into the bottom of the saddle)Make sure that the saddle is perfectly flat on the bottom. Put the saddle bottom side on a straight edge and hold up to the light to check. It must sit flat into the biscuit to get good tone and sound transfer. If it is uneven, lay a straight flat file on the table and rub the bottom of the saddle across it until the bottom of the saddle is perfectly flat. This is also how you would lower the action if needed. If you wanted to raise the action you could put a thin shim in the slot under the saddle or use a taller saddle. Another way to raise the action would be to turn the trussrod counter clockwise to add more relief to the neck.Reassemble. Get every screw in the coverplate started a few turns before tightening the screws. (snug.....not tight)Make sure that the saddle or biscuit is not touching the coverplate anywhere.A tricone is similar. The saddle will lift out of the t-bridge for adjustments the same as the biscuit style.

What kind and gauge of strings do the different models come with?

Phosphor bronze acoustic strings 13-17-26-36-46-56.

Can I change to heavier or lighter gauge strings?

On a round neck guitar you can go up to 16-58 only if you are using dropped tunings like G or D. 13-56 are best for a combination of finger style and bottleneck slide playing in standard tuning and dropped tunings. You can use the 13-56 for E and A raised tunings but it is best not to leave it in the E or A tuning for an extended period of time. If you use E or A tuning most of the time 12-54 are better. Never use 18-59 on a round neck guitar. If you are using the bluegrass raised G tuning 12-54 are best.

How do you change strings on a resonator guitar?

It is best not to remove all of the strings at the same time. Change one at a time so the cone will not move and throw off the intonation. If you do remove all the strings make sure to bring them up to full tension starting in the middle (strings 3,4) and working towards the outside (strings 2,5 then 1,6). Attempting to bring 'outside' strings up to pitch first can collapse the cone on that side.

We proudly carry Schatten Design pickups (piezo) and the Lace Ultra Slim Acoustic (USA) Humbucker (magnetic) pickup. Pickups are fully passive (no internal batteries) and installed with an instrument jack in the 'tele' position about halfway around the bottom half of the lower bout. We don't currently install volume and tone control pots, leaving that to the local shops that can provide a greater selection of knobs and pots.

The Schatten NR-2 for single cone guitars or Schatten TC Player for tricones, as any piezoelectric pickup, carry the most accurate sound reproduction, although a good preamp is highly recommended for use in resonator guitars as they can sound extremely bright and possibly have issues with feedback at loud volumes. The Lace USA is a great 'plug it in and jam' no fuss pickup and is a bit 'microphonic' and keeps it from sounding like an electric guitar which is what magnetic pickups are all about. It sounds great and can be cranked up with gain for some blistering slide solos.

Are all models on the website in stock?
The website is updated on a regular basis to reflect availability of all models.

Which model is best for finger style playing?
Any and all of the guitars are good for finger style playing. The string height can be set on any of the models. Check the specs on the nut width of each model.

Which model is best for bottleneck or slide playing?
Any and all of the guitars are good for bottleneck slide playing. The string height can be set on any model.

Do you do custom models?
We don't do custom models. What you see on the site is what is offered at any given time. We are constantly adding new styles and discontinuing other styles. If you find something close to what you are looking for you should buy it. Other wise it could be discontinued or not be made again for a long while.

Do all tricone guitars have 12 frets to the body?
Other than the Clarksdale Special, all tricones have 12 frets to the body. A standard tricone with 14 frets to the body would make it a baritone guitar. It is not the length of the neck that determines whether it is a 12 or a 14 fret model. It is the length of the body. A 12 fret model is 2 frets taller than a 14 fret model so you basically have the same scale more or less between the 2 models. 

Keni Lee Burgess: kenileeburgess@aol.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUqV0AY956Q 

Are these guitars imported and if so, do you do any Q/C before they ship?
Yes, the guitars are imported. I'd love to do an American made reso but that would push the price over the $2k mark. If an import is not your cup of tea, there's nothing wrong with that. Check out National Guitars or Mule Resonators. Those are great guitars and certainly worth the money if you can afford it. If you're looking for a quality, affordable resonator for your toolbox, then you've come to the right place. We play every guitar we sell and make sure the mojo is just right. If it doesn’t have a good setup, a good feel and sound, we just strip it for parts. We stand by every guitar we ship. If you buy a Republic Guitar and don't like it, just send it on back. (see Warranty/Returns section for more info).

How much do the guitars weigh?
The shortscale brass ones are right at 7 pounds, and the full scale are just a couple ounces heavier. A regular single cone brass guitar is more like 8 ½ pounds, tricone slightly more than that. Add several ounces for steel versions of the same…Brass Parlor: 8.2lbsBrass Tricone: 9.6 lbsMiniolian: 4 lbsBrass H61 12 Fret 7.2 lbs.

Where can I find more information on the history of resonator guitars?
The folowing websites have some great information about Resos...

Steel Guitar Zone
Slide Neo Blade
Reso Hangout
National Guitars